


Retail Therapy

by Sp0iler_Alert



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: But it's okk because friends!, Descriptions of panic attacks/sensory overload, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hollow's past still haunts them :(, Jiji is good at more then just extiguishing shades, The Hollow Knight has a hard time, a little angst with some fluff at the end to balance things, also how did i write this i can't even spell, also- shopping!, felt it needed to be signposted, i guess? what counts as angst, or something of that kind, probably this, they're healing though and that's good!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28017804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sp0iler_Alert/pseuds/Sp0iler_Alert
Summary: The Hollow Knight needs therapy.Badly.However, since therapy doesn't exist in Hallownest, they do the only other thing a bug can do. They go shopping!(and it goes a lot worse then you may expect!)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	Retail Therapy

Cold and dreary was the norm for Dirtmouth, but you never quite got used to the chill. The underground catacombs of Hallownest, still largely abandoned, were a lot warmer by merit of the lack of wind and the tightly packed dirt insulating the winding passages on all sides. Most bugs were all wrapped up against this unfamiliar coldness, clutching at cloaks and hoods which struggled against their grips, huddling in small groups of friends or family, hoping to share what little warmth there was left. However, despite it's clear drawbacks, the fading town was livelier and more sought after a destination then ever. Bugs sick of being trapped down below practically fought for a new start on the surface, for the reliable housing, for the lack of bodies that seemed to crowd and pile in every dark corner of Hallownest's underground. The infection had died with the Radiance some six months ago, but the contagious wrath of an angry goddess is not the kind of thing you just move on from. There was much work to be done, and between Ghost being trapped in Godhome and most of the knights and nobles of the old kingdom dead, Queen Hornet had much to do, with very few resources. It didn't help that the few bugs that remained were broken, tired, and not exactly cut out for a great rebuilding effort. All in all, the main body of Hallownest was not an attractive or practical place to live, so Dirthmouth became the new hub of the shattered kingdom. It grew, houses springing up where before there was nothing, and a bustling market began to cling to the winding, unplanned streets. Each day it was packed full of bugs, from Dirtmouth itself or visiting from below, all looking to spend their Geo and perhaps, for a few hours, forget the devastation of their home.

And The Hollow Knight was no different.

They walked carefully through the crowd, sticking out severely against even the tallest of bugs, worried that they'd step on something or someone. All the while trying to control the cloak which pulled and strained against the wind, miming silent apologies at any bugs unfortunate enough to be hit. Having been raised in solitude in the White Palace, and then locked on their own for Wyrm knows how long, they were not used to or comfortable with the crowd that surged around them. There were so many sights and smells and noises. A constant chattering all too similar to the grinding, painful drone of the infection.  
They shook their head, trying to dislodge the sound, but it persisted, and they succeeded only in clunking their horns against someone's stall. Embarrassment prickled at them, and they stepped back, waving an apology. They could feel the eyes of bugs pressing into them. They were awkward and out of place enough without everyone knowing who there were; the failure who let so many bugs die, who broke, who-- their thoughts sped up to the point where even they couldn't follow, and their awareness listed to the side, shifting, and suddenly they could feel too much, chitin scraping on chitin, brushing their legs, layers and layers of fabric scraping, weighing on their shoulders, pulling at their hand, threatening to break their grip.

It hurt. It was too packed, too much to touch and too much to see, it was too bright, too cold, and all so incredibly loud.

Void dripped down their face and onto the ground. It splattered noisily and hissed against the cobbled street. They could feel their father's scorn, weighing heavy on their mind even though he was long dead. They could feel her--

They shouldn't have come here. Ogrim had made it sound so nice, but it was just. Too. Much.  
The Hollow Knight fled, long legs carrying them away. They were fast, if not from good health then just from their stature. They weaved through backstreets, past houses, breaking out onto an ancient graveyard, where they weaved between graves, and before they knew it they stood in the shadow of the sheer cliffs that held Crystal Peak. The old mines were silent. The noise and chatter of Dirtmouth was just a faint whisper on the wind. Hollow wiped the errant void from their face with their cloak, releasing it to allow it to flutter in the wind. The unease and panic they had felt that compelled them to flee was fading now, and it blunted to a dull ache in their chest. Even with their new found isolation, they felt exposed, and the wind seemed to pierce their carapace more than ever. Not to mention the statue of her that they were all too aware of looming above them. Hornet had promised to pull it down for them. It clearly hadn't happened yet.  
A small break in the face of the cliff caught their eye, and they stepped towards it. What had appeared to be a small crack was really the entrance to a cave, and a soft, warm light flickered from inside. It was gentle, and natural, unlike the blinding glare that used to fill their thoughts and still consumed their nightmares. Shaking, overwhelmed, they stepped inside, stooping though a low tunnel to a small room barely big enough for them to stand up in. It was warm, and several candles filled it, casting a comforting light on the walls. Hollow amused themself briefly by raising their hand and playing with their shadow, when they noticed with a start that they were being watched. The eyes that stared at them from the dark recesses of the cave were not orange and feral as they were half expecting, but white, and filled with amusement. A strange bug stepped forward from the shadows, with a chittering noise. They were wrapped in cloth, and settled themself on a small rug, just inside the circle of light cast by the torches. With a tilt of their head, the strange bug spoke.  
"Your regrets leave a dark stain on this world. I can help erase this stain, and I did for an empty one just like you. But your regrets and their regrets are not the same. Theirs were violent, and angry, but yours...", they shuffled closer, "Are of a different nature entirely. They are not the kind I can heal with magic, or at all, but perhaps you would like to sit with me a while. Ever since the other of your kind departed us, It has been very lonely in my cave."  
Hollow stood stock still for a moment, before sinking slowly to the floor, opposite to the bug. A snail, they thought, but it was hard to tell under all those layers of clothes. They watched them, fear and caution were second nature for Hollow, but the snail was simply sitting there, eyes closed. Hollow couldn't help but feel a distinct safety with this bug. They felt the dregs of their anxiety receded somewhat, not disappearing, but their effects less pronounced, and in it's place a great tiredness swept in. It had always been there, brewed as a child by relentless training, worsened by fighting constantly to contain the infection, by their eventual fall, and the unending noise and light that had brought, by the initial suspicion and hostility Hornet had shown them. It had grown and grown, always barely overshadowed by duty, or fear. For Hollow, the two always came hand in hand. But here, there was none of that. Just the soft crackle of the candles, and the gentle sound of Jiji's breathing. Hollow felt their body grow heavy, and before they knew it, the ever present exhaustion overtook them.

Their sleep was mercifully dreamless.

Hollow was awoken by a series of gentle taps on their shoulder, and as they sat up, an old, thin blanket slid off of them and onto the floor. They glanced at it, then up at the two concerned bugs that leaned over them. Just sitting up brought them to Ogrim's eye level, and they felt his hand- claw? Scoop? The strangeness of his limbs had never been something Hollow had thought about before- hovering over their shoulder. His face was filled with concern. Just behind him, Hornet was looking around the cave, her eyes suspicious. Jiji was nowhere to be seen, and Hollow just knew she was no longer in the cave.  
"My friend! Are you quite alright?" Orgim asked, stepping back from Hollow. They caught themself as they began to nod. Were they ok?  
Ogrim seemed to take their indecision as an answer, and let out a sad little sigh.  
"Come now friend, can you stand up?", Hollow shifted, inclining their head, and bringing themself to their feet. Hornet turned to look at them. She seemed to be full of questions, inquiries and accusations primed to be fired at them, and for once they rejoiced at their muteness. She'd long stopped asking them things they couldn't answer.  
"We came to join you in the market, but you weren't there. Some guards reported to me that you had been there, but had left in some state of distress. So, we came to find you." She seemed to hesitate, and asked with some awkwardness "Are... You feeling alright?"  
They nodded. They felt better then they had in ages, and wished they had a better way to express it.  
"... good."  
There was a moment of awkward silence, where Hornet seemed poised to speak some more, but she said nothing, and simply glanced at Ogrim. They couldn't blame her for being so abrupt. The Pale King was hardly a beacon of emotion and love. Ogrim picked up the conversation where Hornet had dropped it,  
"From what they told us, it would seem you got overwhelmed, but if you're feeling better, would you perhaps like to go back? The two of us would accompany you, but feel no obligation to. I'd- We'd understand if you simply wanted to go home."  
The Hollow Knight considered that, tilting their head ever so slightly to signal that they were thinking. They felt better. More relaxed and at peace then they had for about as long as they could remember, but they didn't know how fragile this feeling was. Would their contentment survive another trip into Dirtmouth, or even out of the cave? But on the other hand, Now that they were feeling better, they could have fun! Spend some time with their friends, and really treat themself. Being 'treated' wasn't really something that had happened all that much before. They straightened up as much as they could in the small cave, and then nodded to Ogrim.  
"You want to go? Fantastic! Come, great knight, we will have much fun!" He declared, before marching enthusiastically out of the cave. Hollow laughed to themself, an action which produced no sound, but rather just felt like laughter in their chest, before realising Hornet was watching them.  
"Are you sure?" she asked, tilting her head ever so slightly. The question caught them off guard, and a vague, sickly anxious feeling began to condense in their chest once more. It felt like tar oozing up the insides of their thorax.  
They didn't allow it to stay, and nodded confidently to her. They wanted to have a nice evening with their friends. This time, they were ready, they had support, they were well rested, and they really, actively wanted it. To want was a novel feeling for them. They weren't letting it go to waste.

The rest of the evening went smoothly. The three of them roamed Dirtmouth market, flitting from stool to stool. Between the presence of Hornet, and the smell of Ogrim, the crowds were easily navigable, and due to the time of day it was much quieter now. Hollow was drawn to all things shiny, and had to be 'persuaded' to not just buy every piece of jewellery in the market. They had no shortage of dubiously-sourced Geo (a fact which concerned Hornet to no end), and were spoilt for choice. By the end of their shopping spree, they had a dozen unwieldy statement necklaces jangling from their horns, and yet more bangles and bracelets adorning their wrist. By Hornet's own judgement, they looked like a disaster, but it didn't matter to them. They were having fun, and that was not, and never would be, a feeling they let go easily. The eyes of bugs were no longer a bother to them, rather a source of amusement. The looks they garnered, clanking and shining through the market, were nothing short of hilarious, and the look on the face of the bug running the sweet stall when Hollow stuck the free sample of some confectionery directly into their eyehole would hold a prized place in their memory forever.

Hollow couldn't remember ever being this happy before, but they knew that they would be again. And with each silent chuckle, each moment of joy, The Hollow Knight became just a little less hollow.

**Author's Note:**

> That's about it for this! Just a little one chapter affair :)
> 
> The Hollow Knight can have some nice times, as a treat.
> 
> Thanks for slogging through my verbose mess of a fic :3 I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
